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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28629828">Black Widow Apprentice</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/AbyssUnknown/pseuds/AbyssUnknown'>AbyssUnknown</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>HP Short Plots [5]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst?, F/M, Female Harry Potter, I'm not sure why I wrote this, Multi, The Final Battle occurs in sixth year instead, this is a random plot bunny</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 11:15:39</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>16,121</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28629828</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/AbyssUnknown/pseuds/AbyssUnknown</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>She knew them well, those lifeless eyes. She had seen them in the mirror herself, once upon a time. Those were eyes of the woman who has gone through the utmost betrayals.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Harry Potter &amp; Mrs Zabini, Harry Potter/Fred Weasley/George Weasley</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>HP Short Plots [5]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2049963</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>171</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Gone is the good girl</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I don't why I thought of this. But I couldn't not write it.<br/>It's not completed. But I couldn't just leave it there despite that, so i posted it.<br/>Share your thoughts pls. I hate that I can't get my ideas flowing for this - or to be more honest, whatever i think, isn't coming out correctly in the words, I feel.<br/>...I don't enjoy this state of frustration...</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong> <span class="u">3<sup>rd</sup> July</span> </strong>
</p><p>Numb.</p><p>That was all she could feel. She stared at the faces before her, her previous elation that they had come to rescue her from her relatives’ long drained away. She should have known that wouldn’t be the case. She had barely stayed three days in the Dursleys house. She wasn’t miserable enough to be rescued yet.</p><p>“Harry, pup, I’m sorry.”</p><p>Harriet gave the man before her a blank stare. She didn’t feel that usual joy and relief at his presence suddenly. His words no longer sparked a warmth in her, nor did the memories she had of the few sparse moments she’d spent with him in the past.</p><p>Everything seemed cold. Fake.</p><p>“There’s no going around this for the moment. Those <em>bastards</em> – ”</p><p>“When?” she cut in, uncaring of how cold her voice was.</p><p>She was tired, honestly, of hearing the excuses. And no matter what anyone said, she knew that all they were spouting were just that. Excuses. Flimsy, spineless <em>excuses</em>.</p><p>“They haven’t confirmed pup.”</p><p>The nickname made her skin crawl for some reason. She wished the man would stop using it. She certainly was not his daughter or charge. Not anymore if she could help it.</p><p>She glared at him for his useless reply.</p><p>“Do you have anything worth sharing at all, <em>Black</em>?” she snapped.</p><p>That flinch she was bestowed with rather vindicated her numb soul. The way the others around her stilled and paled with worry also made her feel rather elated too though.</p><p>“<em>Pup –</em>”</p><p>“I asked you a question, <em>Black</em>,” she cut in coldly.</p><p>The man sighed and exchanged a look with the weary looking man on his right.</p><p>“There has been word going around that they are going to pair you off with,” Sirius grimaced. “Malfoy’s son.”</p><p>Harry clenched her fists.</p><p>“How convenient,” she muttered. “Planning to let the right-hand man’s family finish off what their Lord couldn’t do, hmm?”</p><p>“Now my dear –”</p><p>“I am not you dear anything,” Harry snarled. “It’s Miss Potter to you.”</p><p>Harriet glared at the lot of them sitting across her. Traitors all of them. Acting concerned when they didn’t even <em>care</em>.</p><p>“It’s Miss Potter for all of you,” she ended with an icy glare.</p><p>“Harriet – ”</p><p>“Don’t make me repeat,” Harry cut in, voice deadly soft. “I’m not above cutting off your tongues, bastards.”</p><p>She ignored the affronted gasps that went around her “guests”.</p><p><em>Drama queens,</em> she thought with a scoff. <em>What were they expecting? For me to make them garlands and worship the ground they walk on? When they are as good as selling me off like this to warm some murdering bastard’s bed?</em></p><p>Harry shot the man directly before her another cold look.</p><p>“What’s going to happen to Mione?”</p><p>She understood now why her muggleborn friend was not part of the group. She couldn’t really imagine Helena and Jaden Granger letting their daughter off with these <em>disgusting people</em> if they had gone to break the news of the latest crap the British Wizarding government has pulled on them like they were doing here with her.</p><p>Judging from the way the groups all winced before her, Harriet knew she was right.</p><p>“The Grangers have forbidden Hermione from returning to the wizarding world at the moment. They refuse to let their daughter be married off against her wishes. They’re not going to like it when the authorities come knocking on their door – ”</p><p>She scoffed, making Black cut off his words.</p><p>“Unlike you, Helena and Jaden are <em>good guardians. Good parents,</em>” Harry told the man. “They will be prepared, I assure you, to protect their daughter no matter the extreme lengths they’ll have to go to.”</p><p>Sirius’ eyes were glistening. Harry enjoyed watching the despair in them.</p><p>He should rot in hell, in her opinion.</p><p>“Pup I –”</p><p>“Any other things I must be aware of?” she cut in coldly for the <em>nth</em> time.</p><p>She was done listening to excuses. She had known before, when she had been locked in her cupboard as a child, that it was her against the whole world. It was the fate of orphans. It was the way of the world.</p><p>She had made the mistake of hoping when she was introduced to the wizarding world. Against all the lessons she had learned under the cruel treatment of the Dursleys and the neglectful environment of Surrey, she had let herself depend on others. Let herself trust others to take care of herself.</p><p>She wasn’t going to repeat her mistakes again.</p><p>“<em>Pup please I –</em>”</p><p>“If that is all the useless information you have to offer, Mr Black,” Harry cut in again. “Then I suppose this meeting has come to an end. All of you leave.”</p><p>“Harry – Miss Potter,” Remus corrected with a pained face under her glare, as he spoke up for the first time. “We can bring you over to Grimmauld now –”</p><p>Harry’s harsh, bitter laugh interrupted the ex-DADA professor’s words.</p><p>“Was that an attempt to placate?” Harry asked with a sneer. “Offering to move me from one miserable prison to another, before I get sold off to a Death Eater’s household?”</p><p>Harriet shot the werewolf a disgusted look before levelling all the people sitting across her another glare.</p><p>“I’m not going to repeat myself. Leave. Unless you have information on when I’ll be shipped off next, leave.”</p><p>“Pup – ”</p><p>“It’s Miss Potter, Black! You’re as good as dead to me for a godfather so don’t try to play like we are <em>close</em>,” Harry snarled finally, saying the words she had been suppressing all evening. “Seriously, sitting here trying to tell me there is <em>no bloody way out</em> <em>from selling me off like common cattle </em>and you have the audacity to act like you care?”</p><p>Harry stood up, feeling the numbness coating her soul rapidly fall off. Any moment longer with the crowd, she’d have to live with the humiliation of letting the bastards see her even more vulnerable.</p><p>“You lot are good as Wormtail to me from henceforth Sirius Black.”</p><p>Sirius flinched back violently and Remus paled beside him. Harry didn’t bother checking over the others for their reaction to her words.</p><p>“Don’t bother showing your faces around any longer. All five of you,” she snapped, glaring pointedly at the Headmaster and the Weasley parents.</p><p>She left after that to go back to her room, not waiting to see if the lot had actually left at all. She couldn’t be bothered anymore. Not at all.</p><hr/><p>Harriet leaned against her bedroom door after locking it. Her vision seemed oddly dizzying and she had to take a few moments to breathe and force air into her lungs that seemed to refuse to work suddenly.</p><p>She stumbled over to her bed after a few beats and crawled under it, squeezing herself between the space that existed between the floor and the bed’s bottom. If she pretended, she could almost make herself believe that she was back in her cupboard. Her cupboard where no one could touch her no matter how shitty of a bedroom it actually was.</p><p>She stared unseeingly ahead of her, knees curled up to her chest as she lay on her left on the floor.</p><p><em>Marriage Law.</em> The Wizengamot had bloody passed a marriage law.</p><p><em>“Who does that?</em>” she thought as she absently took in the shadows that danced across the floor due to the lone window with broken bars in her room.</p><p>A lone tear slipped down her face, unbeknownst to her.</p><p>Married.</p><p>She was going to be <em>married</em>. In less than a few months if she was lucky enough to last that long.</p><p>She bit back a sob.</p><p>She had dreamed of such a day before. Long time ago.</p><p>She would be dressed up in wedding robes, hair pinned up beautifully, bouquet in one hand as she walked down the aisle to a man she loved. Vows would be exchanged and– in the matter of a few seconds – she would be legally wed.</p><p>She would have a husband.</p><p>Legal family.</p><p>She would no longer be known as an orphan.</p><p>A sob escaped her.</p><p>
  <em>This wasn’t it though.</em>
</p><p>This was not how she wanted to be wed off. Not to some stranger for the pure sake of producing babies. She wasn’t just a baby-producing machine, <em>dammit!</em></p><p>Harry curled into herself as tears blurred her vision.</p><p>She didn’t want to be a baby-producing machine.</p><p><em>“Haven’t I done enough?</em>” she thought desperately. <em>“Haven’t I suffered enough? Can’t the world just let me live my life now at least?”</em></p><p>She had lost her childhood being abused and starved just so that those morons could keep their weapon “safe” from death eaters. She had lost her youth fighting to survive and kill off an insane Dark Lord that wouldn’t leave her be.</p><p>She had stained her hands with blood as she killed a man at eleven, slayed an ancient beast at twelve and eventually kill the Dark Lord himself before her sixth year ended.</p><p>It was barely <em>two months</em> since she was freed from the prophecy tying her and that stupid, evil man for good. She had barely lived her life, having been shipped back to her relatives as soon as school ended for “safety reasons”.</p><p>But now? They were going to dash her dreams to live freely <em>again</em>.</p><p>Harry broke down further.</p><p>Then there was also the unexpected betrayal of her godfather.</p><p>That man.</p><p>She had <em>trusted</em> him.</p><p>Merlin, she had trusted the man so much despite all her instincts and wariness.</p><p>And that man had just sat there and told her he couldn’t do anything for her. For his <em>goddaughter</em>. She had left the safety of Hogwarts to face Voldemort <em>for him</em>, when she had thought he was in danger. She had packed baskets of food and sent Hedwig off <em>for him</em> when he had been on the run.</p><p>And now? Now that she needed a support, he couldn’t even <em>try</em> to do anything?</p><p>What happened to all those promises? Of being family? Of being her protector? Her bloody <em>godfather.</em></p><p>Harry twisted the Black heir ring resting on her left index finger as tears streamed down her face. With an angry cry she pulled the ring off and threw it away, watching as it skidded across the floor before hitting the wall and clattering on the floor for a few moments.</p><p>She should have known that wishing for family was not in her fate. Not for a freak like her no. It was only her against the world.</p><p>It had always been.</p><p>She was foolish to have believed otherwise.</p><p>Harry curled into herself further as her body shook from the heart-wrenching sobs that escaped her. Despair and betrayal gripped her, curling around her chest.</p><p>Was it that impossible for her to wish that <em>someone </em>out there would <em>care </em>about <em>her</em>? Plain, old Harriet James Potter. Without needing to look at the scar or think of her inheritances.</p><p>Without needing to use her.</p><p>Her magic flared around her, wrapping around her like a blanket as she continued crying.</p><p>She wanted vengeance she did. For every tear she had shed unfairly in her life. For every cut she received, every broken bone she suffered and every drop of blood she had bled unjustly in her life.</p><p>Silver orbs swam across her scattered mind again. Red hair and knitted jumpers drifted across her memories.</p><p>Her magic roared as her despair renewed itself.</p><p>She wanted vengeance on all those who had led her on too. Letting her think she mattered. Letting her believe.</p><p><em>“God dammit!” </em>she thought. <em>“Why did they have to pretend? Why me? What did I do? All I wanted was a fucking family! Just one fucking person to bloody care!”</em></p><p>Her magic swirled around restlessly, reflecting her agony.</p><p>She <em>hated </em>them all, she did.</p><p>
  <em>Hate.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Hate.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>HATE!</em>
</p><p>Harry hiccupped as all her tears ran dry. The shadows on her floor were lightening, signally the fact that the sun was starting to come up. She ignored it all, uncaring that she had yet to catch a wink of sleep since the news of the marriage law had been broken to her last evening.</p><p>She glared unseeingly as the faces of the people she knew from wizarding world flashed across her mind.</p><p>
  <em>Betrayers.</em>
</p><p>They were all, <em>filthy</em>, <em>spineless, cowards and betrayers.</em></p><p>Loathing washed through her veins, swamping around the horrid feeling in her chest that had settled there after she had cried her heart out.</p><p>All she had left in her life was her control and ownership over herself. Her own body and mind. Her goddamn <em>virginity.</em></p><p>She didn’t want to give that up to some <em>stranger</em>. Not under the dictation of some corrupted politician especially.</p><p>No.</p><p>Her emerald eyes glinted, cold fury and loathing swimming in their hidden depths.</p><p>She wasn’t going to play to the moronic wizarding world’s tune. Not anymore.</p><p>She had stayed a good girl. She had stayed selfless and kind.</p><p>But what good did that do to her?</p><p>She was still a nameless orphan who was being used and abused as the bad people saw fit.</p><p>No.</p><p>
  <em>NO.</em>
</p><p>She had enough.</p><p>If the world couldn’t bother saving the good people, if the world couldn’t bother punishing the bad people – well then.</p><p>Harry snarled furiously, hugging herself tighter.</p><p><em>“There’s no point being good is there?” </em>she thought.</p><p>Harry closed her eyes, letting every ill will in her heart out.</p><p>Anger coursed through her veins. Disgust swamped her mind.</p><p>Hate – hate engulfed her being.</p><p>Never has she felt this much <em>pure utter hatred</em>. She breathed it in. It burned beneath her skin, a searing inferno, egging her to unleash her righteous fury. To not hold back her pain and suffering.</p><p>She heeded it. Those bastards sitting in the Wizengamot and strutting around the Ministry of Magic had gone too far this time.</p><p>Harriet snarled. Her magic roared, mirroring her fury.</p><p>She was done playing the good girl. That got her nowhere.</p><p>It was time to fight fire with fire.</p><p>They wanted to string her up like a puppet?</p><p>She would show them who exactly was the puppet master in this game.</p><p><em>_But how could you do it?_ </em>a traitorous voice whispered across her mind. <em>_You’re an orphan. You have no connection. No allies. You’re worthless. If you had mattered, you wouldn’t be trapped in this position.</em></p><p>Harry snarled, curling into herself as she berated her own cruel logic.</p><p>No. No. NO.</p><p>There had to be a way. She had to find a way.</p><p>She refused to be sold away like cattle. Refused to <em>warm</em> someone’s bed against her will.</p><p>Disgust flared across her gut.</p><p>She thought of Malfoy. Of how that <em>disgusting Pureblood minded </em>boy would have to <em>touch </em>her. Undress her. See her vulnerable and spill his seed <em>within her</em> so that she would bear and birth his heir like a <em>bitch</em>.</p><p>Harry shuddered and shook her head.</p><p>No. No. <em>NO, NO, NO!</em></p><p>She only had her dignity and body to her name. She refused to give those up.</p><p>
  <em>_You can’t do anything by yourself against political sharks. You barely know politics_</em>
</p><p>Harry screamed, uncaring of what her relatives or the neighbors would think. She had enough rage to kill them all off with her bare hands if they interrupted her now.</p><p>She had to find a way! There was bound to be a way! She refused to be wed off to a man who would likely treat her like a <em>slave</em>.</p><p>And she was certain Malfoy would.</p><p>Her magic seethed around her.</p><p>
  <em>_Face it, you can’t do anything alone_</em>
</p><p>Harry screamed in frustration again, thoughts all over the place.</p><p>Dammit it all, then she would find herself people who would help her if she needed!</p><p>Her magic swirled around her and imploded into her skin, hearing her desire and aching to help her out.</p><p>Its Mistress needed it, magic knew. And it would serve its Mistress to its best abilities.</p><p>Harry’s eyes turned white.</p><hr/><p>
  <em>She wasn’t known to be kind-hearted. At least not to strangers. Yet, she couldn’t deny herself from helping the child before her.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>It wasn’t due to said child’s identity. Or even the pitiful way she had found the child, curled up under a barren tree with shredded clothes and tear-stained cheeks. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Rather the reason for her yearning to help was due to the child’s eyes.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Those, dull, dead eyes.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>She knew them well, those lifeless eyes. She had seen them in the mirror herself, once upon a time. Those were eyes of the woman who has gone through the utmost betrayals. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>She knew then, how she had likely come across this stranger’s mindscape when she was miles away physically. It was because this child was now her kindred without blood ties. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>For betrayals may sever the deepest of ties. But they also form the strongest of bonds between those that have been burnt and left to wither.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>She smiled.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>It was going to be fun teaching the game to someone else for a change.</em>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>*sighs heavily*</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Seeking allies</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>i'm not sure where im going with this...</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The first thing Harry noticed when she woke up was the fact that she was on a bed. Her bed.</p><p>And her Aunt Petunia was seated beside her with a solemn expression.</p><p>Harry bolted up, uncaring of how her vision wavered at the action. She scooted away from her relative in suspicion. Aunt Petunia had never been the type to be <em>caring</em>.</p><p>Well at least not to her freak niece Harriet.</p><p>“What do you want?”</p><p>Her voice came out in a croak.</p><p>Petunia handed her a glass of water from the desk beside her bed.</p><p>Harry drank it without question. If her aunt had wanted to kill her off, she had plenty of opportunities already.</p><p><em>Besides</em>, she thought bitterly, <em>Death was not a terrible option considering the trap I’m currently in.</em></p><p>The water soothed her dry throat but Harry wished she could have one more glass. She didn’t ask though. She knew her boundaries in the Dursley household.</p><p>She was to be grateful for being given the first glass itself. She sneered mentally.</p><p>“What do you want Aunt Petunia?” Harry asked again, eyes boring into her aunt’s suspiciously.</p><p>The woman sighed.</p><p>“Nothing. I overheard some snippets of the conversation you had last evening.”</p><p>Harry snarled outwardly this time, fists bunching up the thing blanket draped over her. She didn’t need the Dursleys to add to her shame. She could already picture all their bloody insults now.</p><p>
  <em>Freak. Whore. Slut.</em>
</p><p>Her eyes blazed.</p><p>No bloody way.</p><p>“Snap out of it,” Petunia told her coldly.</p><p>Harry blinked, focusing on her aunt again.</p><p>“Contrary to what you believe, I’m not here to add salt to your wounds,” Petunia told her with an irritated look.</p><p>Harry raised an eyebrow.</p><p>“I dislike you, girl, make no mistake,” Petunia elaborated with a sigh.</p><p>Harry refrained from rolling her eyes. She had gathered that through the years she’d spent under the Dursleys roof already, thank you very much.</p><p>“But even then, I do not hate you that much as to want you to undergo what that <em>freak</em> Ministry of your worlds has planned,” Petunia told her.</p><p>Harry blinked. Well. Now this was news.</p><p>Petunia had some <em>limit</em> to the extent of hate she had for Harry?</p><p>“Marriage and everything that comes with it – spouse, sex,” Petunia looked rather pained to be explaining it to Harry. “All that isn’t for somebody else to decide. Especially when you are a woman in the relationship, you need to be able to trust that whoever you’re going to end up with will take care of you.”</p><p>Petunia gave a pained grimace at her.</p><p>“I’m sorry you’re put in this position.”</p><p>Harry turned away.</p><p>What good did her sorry do for her? It was useless.</p><p>“Those wards that they have around this house, they’ll exist till your seventeen, right?”</p><p>Harry turned to her aunt with a frown but nodded in confirmation.</p><p>“Well then, the rest of your stay under this roof will be peaceful,” Petunia told her with a grim face. “As it should have been.”</p><p>Harry blinked at her aunt.</p><p>“You can plot whatever you want. My husband, son and I won’t get in the way.”</p><p>“How are you certain I’m plotting something?” Harry asked with a sceptical look.</p><p>Petunia smirked.</p><p>“Girl, I grew up with Lily Evans for a sister. Despite the rift in our relationship when we grew older, I’ve lived under the same roof as her. I know when an Evans is plotting revenge.”</p><p>Harry gaped at her aunt.</p><p>“Besides, your magic,” Petunia grimaced at the word, “Was rather expressive in its anger and hatred when it swamped around the house a few hours ago.”</p><p>“Oh,” Harry turned away. “Sorry if I broke anything.”</p><p>Petunia laughed at that. Harry stared, never having ever witnessed her aunt act so freely around her.</p><p>“Oh it didn’t break anything but a certain someone did get the brunt of its anger.”</p><p>Harry frowned. If it were Vernon or Dudley, Petunia wouldn’t be sitting her <em>talking civilly </em>with her.</p><p>“That man – godfather of yours,” Petunia elaborated.</p><p>Harry tensed, cold fury washing over her.</p><p>“I told him to –”</p><p>A hand wrapped over her clenched fist on the bed, effectively shocking Harry out of her anger. She stared at her aunt’s fingers that were gently squeezing over her right hand. Never did she ever believe there would be a day her aunt would ever touch her without disgust marring her features.</p><p>“I know you’re angry. You have every right Harriet.” Harry started at the sound of her given name coming from her aunt’s lip. “But I think the fact that he stayed back to beg and grovel shows he cares.”</p><p>“He’s with the others in selling me off like a <em>prostitute </em>for <em>sale</em>!” Harry hissed, hurt lacing her words against her wishes.</p><p>Petunia gave a small smile.</p><p>“I don’t think so. He seemed pretty distraught all this time and he has yet to leave. That doesn’t sound like a man who doesn’t care, Harriet.”</p><p>“But –”</p><p>“Look,” Petunia cut in. “I don’t know anything in detail so for all I know, your stance is completely correct in all this madness. But you’ve said before that the man has been illegally incarcerated once in that horrid prison of your kind with those horrid dark creatures that suck out happiness.”</p><p>Petunia shuddered, likely remembering what had almost happened to her precious Dudders a couple years back.</p><p>“Maybe the man’s messed up in the head after all that, who knows? But since he obviously cares enough to stay despite being attacked by your magic, you should consider talking to him first before severing ties and all that.”</p><p>Petunia gave a small smile that held bitter undertones.</p><p>“It’s very late for me, but I do confess wondering if I had done that with Lily years back, we’d all probably be in a better place.”</p><p>Harry stared silently at her aunt.</p><p>“I’ll let the man up in half an hour?” Petunia asked gently.</p><p>Harry blinked, not quite yet used to this side of her aunt.</p><p>“However, did you manage to keep him out for so long?” she asked, instead of answering.</p><p>Petunia smirked.</p><p>“Words cut deep. I only kept pointing out the fact that you obviously don’t consider him a trustworthy person. He looked like someone stabbed him in the heart every time he got reminded.”</p><p>Harry chuckled darkly, not surprised at Petunia’s cruelness. For all her kindness, she was still the same woman who had locked Harry up in a cupboard as a child.</p><p><em>“I live a very messed up life</em>,” Harry concluded as she stared back down at the hand covering her own, feeling warmth at its presence despite knowing that this same hand had slapped her for almost all her life. <em>“Very, very messed up life.”</em></p><p>Petunia had yet to let go.</p><p>“Send him up in ten minutes, Aunt. I might as well get this all over sooner or later,” Harry sighed.</p><p>Petunia gave her hand a small squeeze before releasing it and standing up. Harry noted with surprise that she did miss the warmth of her aunt’s hand. She watched the older woman make her way out of her room and tilted her head ever so slightly when Petunia paused by the door.</p><p>“For what it’s worth,” Petunia started, turning back to face Harry right before she stepped out. “<em>I’m sorry</em>.”</p><p>Harry stilled.</p><p>Petunia left without waiting for any reply.</p><p>Harry stared at her closed bedroom door after that, smiling a bitter smile.</p><p>A small part of her however, was undeniably lighter. She certainly didn’t like her aunt and her family. Not at all.</p><p>But she was relieved all the same.</p><hr/><p>Harry stared at the man kneeling before him in disdain. There were cuts all over his body, the sky-blue robes he was wearing stained with his own blood. Her magic had obviously not been happy at seeing him when it had gone on its mad rampage around the house.</p><p>“Pup <em>please</em> I’m sorry –”</p><p>Harry’s restraint snapped. With a snarl she leaned forward and swung violently at the man before her.</p><p>The sound of a harsh slap echoed around the silent room.</p><p>Sirius stared at her in shock.</p><p>“Sorry?” Harriet hissed. “That’s the best you can do? You sit here and give me the same <em>bullshit</em> you gave me yesterday Black!”</p><p>Harry swung her arm again, backhanding her godfather’s face in anger, too furious to care about being <em>respectful</em>.</p><p>“I ran off with a half-cooked plan, worried sick and scared to face my mortal enemy when I <em>thought your useless arse was in danger!</em>”</p><p>She hated how she could feel her eyes tearing up again.</p><p>“And you? <em>YOU SIT HERE SAYING YOU CAN’T LIFT A FINGER FOR ME WHEN I NEED HELP?!”</em></p><p>Harry stared in disgust at the way the man crumpled into himself.</p><p>“Pup I <em>tried</em>! The bastards have cornered me. Played up the media to cook up some story that I’m not completely <em>sane</em>. Why do you think I can’t –”</p><p>“So legally they’ve blocked your ways,” Harry scoffed.</p><p>She brought her face down to her godfather’s in contempt, fisting up the collar of his robes with an angry snarl. “Did you just stop there? Couldn’t think of anything <em>illegal </em>in that brain no more, <em>Grim Animagus since fifteen</em>?”</p><p>Harry stared at the guilty silver eyes before her before pushing away the man with disgust.</p><p>“Why should I be surprised? I was never important for you like <em>dear old Moony was</em>!” she spat.</p><p>It hurt. That her godfather would do this.</p><p>“Pup I –”</p><p>“Spare me anymore of your nonsense,” she cut in as she sat back down on the edge of her bed.</p><p>Her mind whirled, ideas, thoughts and plans circling around her head at light’s speed.</p><p>She was alone. She needed to take care of herself. No other way around it.</p><p>“Pup –”</p><p>“I said <em>spare me Black</em>,” Harry snapped. “I’ve long known about this fact no matter how much I’ve wished otherwise. Known since third year when you only scrambled out of prison for <em>revenge </em>rather than to look after your only goddaughter!”</p><p>“That’s not true!” Sirius shouted out, despair and shock clouding his eyes. The man scrambled to get closer to Harry. “Come on pup, you know that isn’t true!”</p><p>Harriet knew it wasn’t. She knew it well – before Petunia even reminded her – that things with her godfather were <em>complicated</em> at best. The man didn’t ask to be left to rot in Azkaban unjustly. It couldn’t be helped that he was left in a poor situation, unable to grieve the loss of his best friend and sister-in-heart’s deaths. Unable to comprehend that another best friend had been the reason for the loss. That he had been betrayed and set up.</p><p>It was only chance that Wormtail’s picture was caught on paper and the Prophet was handed over to Sirius while he was in jail. It was only luck that Sirius had retained enough clarity to remember he was innocent and that he had to escape to kill Wormtail.</p><p>For revenge <em>and</em> to protect Harry.</p><p>Harriet knew that all.</p><p>But she was rather tired at always being dealt with the shorter end of the wand. Always being casted off as second priority once her usefulness in fighting Voldemort was over.</p><p>She didn’t even ask for Sirius to be a sane guardian. She couldn’t care less if the man was as insane as Bellatrix Lestrange!</p><p>She just wanted him to care for her first!</p><p> Anyone to care for her first. Was that so bad of her to ask?</p><p>“You’re my only family, pup!”</p><p>Sirius had scrambled over to cup Harry’s face gently. Harry pulled away in disgust.</p><p>“You have a pretty terrible way of showing that, Black,” she spat, fists bunching up the edge of the blanket below her fingers. “Wouldn’t be surprised if you’re only doing this whole act on <em>Dumbledore’s orders</em>.”</p><p>Her voice turned mocking.</p><p>
  <em>“Dumbledore said this pup. Dumbledore knows best pup. Dumbledore wants you to fuck a Death Eater so it’s bound to be for the greater good pup!”</em>
</p><p>She wanted to punch the man before her. But she didn’t want blood coating over the handprints on Sirius’ face just yet. She rather enjoyed seeing the sharp stinging red marks on him.</p><p>It suited the man well. <em>Bastard</em> of a godfather that he was.</p><p>“Pup you know that’s not how it works. The Wizengemot voted majority. Dumbledore was helpless to –”</p><p>Harry let out a bitter laugh.</p><p>“Lookie here! What a surprise! You are still defending that man!”</p><p>Harry glared at Sirius Black.</p><p>“Tell me this, if he is <em>oh so powerful</em>, <em>with so many fucking powerful positions, why the hell can’t he do anything good with them?”</em> She snapped. “Why is he <em>helpless </em>when he is the one holding all the key <em>positions</em> barring the Minister’s seat?!”</p><p>Sirius stayed silent, biting his lip.</p><p>Harry let out a hysterical laugh.</p><p>“Oh, don’t want to admit it do you <em>Sirius Black</em>?” Harry asked in a mocking parody of a little child’s voice. “Well, I’ll tell you! He only cares for giving <em>second chances</em>! To people who <span class="u">fucked up! </span><em>To people who would hurt the good ones in the first place without remorse!”</em></p><p>It wasn’t the complete truth. Harry would acknowledge that deep down her heart. Deep, deep down somewhere that still retained some miniscule faith in the world, though it was locked too far away for her to access at the moment. Dumbledore did have his heart in the right place.</p><p>But that wasn’t helping Harriet now, was it?</p><p>His bloody good heart is why the likes of Malfoy was being negotiated with for Harriet’s hand in marriage.</p><p>A thought entered her mind.</p><p>“Malfoy,” she muttered. “Why are there talks of marrying me off to <em>Mlafoy</em> of all people? His father is still rotting in Azkaban!”</p><p>Sirius winced, moving away from her subtly. But Harry caught the action all the same.</p><p>“What?” she asked with a glare. “What trap is it now?”</p><p>“Dumbledore –” Sirius winced at the snarl forming on Harry’s face but persevered on. “Dumbledore suggested it to save Draco and his mother. Give them a –”</p><p>Sirius paused, realisation dawning on his pale face. Harry narrowed her eyes.</p><p>“Give them a second chance,” Sirius ended up saying in a broken whisper, horror in his eyes.</p><p>Harry snorted bitterly.</p><p>“Realised it have you finally?” she asked with a sad smile as she saw the gears moving in Sirius’ head.</p><p>Pathetic. It took him this long? To realise all this?</p><p>He should have realised he was on the wrong team the moment that twinkling-eyed goat told him of the stupid Marriage Law.</p><p>She stared at his turbulent silver eyes. She could still see conflict in them, as though he didn’t want to believe her. Couldn’t bring himself to believe her.</p><p>Harry cursed him and his false promises to her in her heart.</p><p>“Let me ask you this,” Harry started in a sweet voice. The innocence was belied by the anger glinting in her emerald eyes. She was going to force the man to her views if it was the last thing she did. “What about <em>me</em>? And all those poor, helpless girls out there like me? What of even a <em>first chance </em>for us? Do we not deserve it? No?”</p><p>Sirius hung his head.</p><p>Harry huffed in disgusted. With the way her thought were going, she wanted him to hang himself. It was taking all her restraint not to tell the man that.</p><p>He was still slightly off in the head, she knew.</p><p>He might just do it.</p><p>“You know what this whole thing is truthfully, Black? Legalising <em>rape</em>,” Harry spat. “Because I assure you, I won’t be consenting to that Malfoy brat touching me anywhere at all. You’re agreeing with those lot in stripping me of my <em>virginity </em>without consent!”</p><p>“Pup I’m sorry.”</p><p>Harry chuckled mirthlessly.</p><p>“You’ve said that for about a couple hundred times already <em>Black</em>. Frankly all I feel I’m getting is quantity, not quality. You’re a pathetic excuse for a godfather.”</p><p>Sirius crumpled further.</p><p>“No please pup, I mean it! I’ll do anything to prove it! You’re all I have left.”</p><p>Harry scoffed.</p><p>“And I’ll repeat myself: You have a piss poor way of showing that, <em>Black. </em>Do keep on kissing Dumbledore’s arse and gossiping jovially with <em>Lupin </em>in your spare times! I’m certain I’ll continue to not believe your lies!”</p><p>Sirius grabbed her arms desperately.</p><p>“No! Pup please! I mean it! I’ll do whatever you want for me to prove it to you! I’m sorry!”</p><p>Harry stilled, eyes glinting dangerously.</p><p>“<em>Whatever</em> <em>I</em> <em>want</em>?”</p><p>Sirius nodded frantically.</p><p>Harry felt a dark sensation unfurl within her chest. Her eyes glinted slightly.</p><p>“Would you give me an oath to seal that promise?” she probed with a daring look.</p><p>Sirius didn’t hesitate in nodding to that and Harry supposed that redeemed him somewhat in her eyes. She also caught the desperate flare of hope in those silver eyes. She smirked internally.</p><p>She was done being used. She really was.</p><p>And Sirius, for all his flaws and complicated issues, had resources that were important for her if she wanted to survive this new trap that the wizarding world had sprung on her.</p><p>“Then maybe, I can find it in myself to forgive you for your betrayals, godfather,” she replied.</p><p>Sirius enveloped her in a relieved hug after that. Harry rested her chin on the man’s left shoulder carefully, eyes glinting as thoughts whirled around her head.</p><p>
  <em>“If you are done being used, little one, start being the one that uses other then,” the Lady said.</em>
</p><p>Harry tightened her arms slightly around Sirius’ waist.</p><p>She really didn’t want to do this. Certainly, she didn’t want to use her godfather of all people for her plans.</p><p>But she was tired.</p><p>And scared. Losing her own body to someone else was not in her plans.</p><p>As much as she wanted to trust her Siri again, he’d proven to not be fully capable of upholding her trust. And trust, once broken, was hard to regain. Fully at least.</p><p>Harry sighed into Sirius’ shoulder.</p><p><em>“Well on the bright side,” </em>she thought. <em>“At least I’ll have Sirius in my life still, partially trustworthy or not. That’s better than having no one.”</em></p><p>She sighed again as she reviewed her own thought.</p><p>She has a pretty pathetic life alright.</p><hr/><p>
  <strong> <span class="u">6<sup>th</sup> July</span> </strong>
</p><p>“How may I help you, Miss Potter?”</p><p>Harry stared at the goblin seated across her calmly.</p><p>“Allies,” she told the goblin calmly. “I would like allies in the Goblin Nation who would swear not to betray me in my plans.”</p><p>Griphook sneered at her.</p><p>“And why would any of us want to help you Miss Potter? What would be the benefit for us?”</p><p>Harry didn’t reply. Instead, she placed the hat she had kept on her lap onto the table before her and casually pulled out a glittering sword from its depths.</p><p>“I can return something the wizarding world has been keeping away from your kind unjustly for starters,” she said.</p><p>She watched as shock and an emotion that could only be classified as obsession washed over Griphook’s eyes.</p><p>“The Sword!” the goblin whispered reverentially.</p><p>Harry handed it over, not commenting on how quickly the goblin snatched it away from her hands. She let the being run its hands over the metal blade to its heart content over the next few minutes.</p><p>“You said it yourself, Miss Potter,” Griphook started after a while after settling the sword somewhere under his drawer. Harry didn’t bother wondering how it fit. “This was something your kind kept unjustly from my Nation. Do you honestly think this would be a wise bargaining chip?”</p><p>Harry shrugged.</p><p>“I said it was my starting bargaining chip. I have more benefits to offer for a possible alliance with me to your Nation.”</p><p>Griphook tilted his head.</p><p>“And if we deny to help you out even then?”</p><p>“Then I’ll simply ask of you to conduct your offered services of protecting, witnessing and executing my will to leave everything I own to Gringotts, as long as you never use it for anyone in Dumbledore’s circle or the Death Eaters,” she replied frankly.</p><p>Griphook blinked.</p><p>“To Gringotts?”</p><p>Harry shrugged.</p><p>“Anyone who isn’t a witch or wizard is good in my eyes,” she told the goblin dully.</p><p>“Why would you need a will now?” Griphook asked after a moment of silence.</p><p>“To ensure none of my ancestors’ work or legacies fall into wizard hands once I die.”</p><p>“You seem confident that you’ll die soon. Planning to take your life like a coward?” Griphook sneered.</p><p>“I only have my body and mind left to call my own,” Harry replied without batting an eye. “If Death be what it takes for me to save that from others, I’m <em>not</em> <em>afraid</em> to do it. I refuse to play a bitch in heat for a stranger.”</p><p>Griphook blinked.</p><p>“So, you’ve finally heard of the marriage laws then, witch?”</p><p>Harry raised an eyebrow.</p><p>“I’ve only heard of them now, yes. Pray tell when were these going around exactly?”</p><p>“It’s been in the talks and rumor mills for a year, Miss Potter, ever since the Final Battle that happened at your magical school,” Griphook replied casually. “Though only now did they implement it.”</p><p>Harry’s jaw clenched.</p><p>“Explains a lot,” she muttered.</p><p>It certainly did. She heard how many Pureblood witches were already in engagement contracts that somehow <em>exempted </em>them from following the latest law. They didn’t have a time limit over their heads to get married and bear children lest they wished to be carted off to Azkaban.</p><p>“Alright, let’s get to business then, Miss Potter.”</p><p>Harry looked up to find Griphook staring at her seriously, fingers steepled across his chin.</p><p>“What would you like the Goblin Nation, as your allies, to do for you?”</p><p>Harry blinked. Then a small smile graced her lips.</p><p>“How about we start off with some oaths of confidentiality Griphook?”</p><p>The goblin nodded in approval.</p><p>“Wise moves witch. It is never good to be too trusting.”</p><p>Harry’s eyes glinted.</p><p>“So, I’ve learnt.”</p><hr/><p>Sirius gave his goddaughter a curious look.</p><p>“You’re going to remain in the goblins’ care for a while,” Harry told him with a blank face.</p><p>“Why –”</p><p>“Have you gotten therapy or anything at all since Azkaban?” she asked him seriously.</p><p>The man shook his head.</p><p>“Well then you’re getting it now. I can’t afford for you to make more mistakes,” she told the man seriously.</p><p>Sirius winced but didn’t protest.</p><p>“Whatever you wish,” the man told her despondently.</p><p>Harry refrained from grimacing at how pathetic the man appeared. She didn’t really understand what was going on with him. He was a far cry from the person she had gotten to know in her third year. Though he had been somewhat insane, Sirius had still retained some fire and passion within him, able to think independently. But now, he seemed rather like a puppet whose strings have been half cut.</p><p>It didn’t sit right with her.</p><p>Ever since she had managed to force her mind to calm down from the raging emotions whirling through her heart, she had started to wonder what happened to her godfather. What happened to the man who had looked at her and promised to bring the world her feet, even though he was a man on the run.</p><p>He couldn’t have just <em>changed</em> in the span of the four days she had not sent him since their last meeting at King’s Cross Station.</p><p>Something was <em>definitely</em> not right. She wished she had realised it sooner rather than later. It made her guilty now to see the scars on his face and arm, courtesy of her magic’s lash out.</p><p>“Go with Snarktooth now,” she told the man in a neutral voice. “And cooperate. I’ll come to visit in a few days.”</p><p>She left after that, unable to meet the turbulent silver eyes.</p><p>They seemed too disconnected to be genuine.</p><hr/><p>
  <strong> <span class="u">8<sup>th</sup> July</span> </strong>
</p><p>“What happened?” Harry asked Griphook as she stumbled from her landing at the end of the portkey ride.</p><p>She had barely been gone for a day since her last visit ten hours ago. The goblin gestured for her to follow him as he made his way out of the warded room.</p><p>“I’ll tell you on the way,” Griphook told her. “It’s about your godfather.”</p><hr/><p>Harry snarled at her godfather’s unconscious form.</p><p>“Any idea to confirm who put the compulsions on him?” she asked. “Because I have speculations.”</p><p>“The magical signature’s residue is weak but my Nation knows well enough who has such a despicably washed out yellow in their magic.”</p><p>Harry didn’t bat an eye at the goblin’s choice of words. She had learned from Griphook hours back that Goblin Magics worked differently. That goblins <em>saw</em> magic differently.</p><p>To them, magic of individuals existed in different colours.</p><p>“Dumbledore?” Harry asked coldly.</p><p>“Dumbledore,” Griphook confirmed gravely.</p><p>Harry let out a muted scream behind closed lips, hope, anger and many other emotions raging within her. She composed herself after a few beats and let out a sigh.</p><p>“Want to join me again in plotting?” she turned to Griphook seriously.</p><p>The surly goblin brightened.</p><p>“Sure.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Enter the Twins</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Harry fished out a chain hidden under her robe collar. A small crystal vial was attached to it. Inside it, a sickly green liquid swirled about.</p><p>The twins paled at the sight of it. Harry smirked.</p><p>“Recognised it, have you?” she asked, twirling the vial in her hands carefully.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I'm going  crazy.<br/>As is this plot...</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong> <span class="u">9<sup>TH</sup> July</span> </strong>
</p><p>Harry paced around Griphook’s office like she had done for the past three days.</p><p>“Ok,” she muttered. “Something is seriously <em>wrong</em>.”</p><p>Griphook raised an eyebrow but didn’t comment.</p><p>“So, considering the unpopularity of the stupid law, there are talks about getting it repealed?” Harry asked, incredulous. “Why are they delaying? Nobody bloody appreciates being told who to marry!”</p><p>“From our sources, it’s the pureblood factions that still remain. Not surprising since they are realising how watered down their family magic’s have become with inbreeding,” Griphook grumbled at the end. “But from what we hear, Dumbledore is being spectacularly ineffective at speeding up the process. He’s good at <em>acting</em> effectively honestly but if you look closely enough he’ very obviously delaying the repeal.”</p><p>Harry paced more.</p><p>“He’s scheming something. I know it. And whenever he schemes, it’s never been good for me.”</p><p>“You believe it’s a trap for you?” Griphook asked blankly. “But this affects your entire nation’s youth.”</p><p>“According to your information, none of the others are being rushed at all to marry immediately. The Ministry is giving them a few months to find partners before they will be forced into bonds. But Dumbledore is insisting on me getting married to that ferret before the school year restarts,” Harry told Griphook. “He’s fishy.”</p><p>“Still to endanger the futures of so many youngsters to get something out of you?” Griphook frowned. “If you’re really correct, that man is even more despicable than I thought. And obviously desperate to achieve something.”</p><p>She scowled as she paced.</p><p>“This man put me through tests since I re-entered the magical world when I was eleven, not caring about the other students’ safety while he did that! Philosopher’s stone, Devil’s Snares, <em>Basilisks</em>, deadly tournaments!” Harry threw her arms up, annoyed. “I won’t be surprised if he’s this vile indeed.”</p><p>Harry turned to find Griphook choking on his drink which he had evidently been taking a sip from while she was ranting. She waved her wand quickly, clearing the goblin’s airway.</p><p>“You alright?”</p><p>“Basilisks?” Griphook asked incredulously, eyes shining a strange mixture of concern, greed and strangely envy. “How big was it? How old? How old were you? How did you <em>fight it</em>? Do you want to sell it? Is this how The Sword got imbued with basilisk venom, witch?”</p><p>Harry blinked at the rapid questioned fired at her.</p><p><em>“Figures,”</em> she thought.</p><p>Being a member of a warrior race, plus a banker in profession, Griphook of course cared more about the glory of defeating a beast and trying to earn profits from its carcass.</p><p>“It’s was during my second year at Hogwarts, the beast was at the very least fifty years old, I almost died due to one of its fangs scratching me but a phoenix saved me with its tears, yes this was how the sword got basilisk inside it because I used to it kill the snake and honestly, as long as Dumbledore is Headmaster for Hogwarts, I’m not sure I can access the carcass without tipping him off.”</p><p>Griphook deflated at the last bit but there was some serious respect in his eyes for her suddenly.</p><p>“You defeated an ancient beast at twelve years old, witch,” Griphook nodded approvingly. “You prove as a worthy warrior, Miss Potter.”</p><p>“Thanks?” Harry replied, a bit confused at the proud look in Griphook’s eyes.</p><p>But Griphook wasn’t listening. He had diverted his attention a random blank parchment.</p><p>“I should certainly mention this to the others. This will very much help sway the rest of those in the Nation who are wary of you to our side,” Griphook muttered, scribbling something down vigorously.</p><p>“Say do you mind going over to our Nation’s healers for a test to prove you have basilisk venom in your blood? Evidence is critical to proving a point.”</p><p>Harry blinked.</p><p>“I – I’m healed though?” she told Griphook with a weak smile.</p><p>Griphook shook his head.</p><p>“Venom as potent and magical as the Basilisk’s doesn’t disappear from your veins after injected. Neither does Phoenix tears. Both should still linger in your veins, neutralising each other.”</p><p>Harry squeaked. Griphook ignored her horrified expression.</p><p>“So?” the goblin prompted.</p><p>“Sure,” she replied weakly. “Test away.”</p><hr/><p>“You have been abused, child,” Redreef grumbled, voice coated in disgust.</p><p>“Well,” Harry started, trying to defend or deny herself. She stopped at the goblin Healer’s unimpressed stare.</p><p>“I’ve been abused,” she muttered despondently.</p><p>“Would you like us to remove you from your home?” Griphook asked seriously. “We can always eliminate your <em>relatives.</em>”</p><p>Griphook was rather disgusted to say the last word. Harry smiled at the goblin gratefully.</p><p>“That’s the nicest thing anyone’s offered me,” she told the goblin sincerely.</p><p>Griphook pinked and turned away at her touched look, much to his fellow goblins’ amusement.</p><p>“But my relatives have become decent this summer,” Harry replied miserably. “We’ve even started to mend bridges between us, though I doubt it’ll ever be <em>not</em> awkward. I’m afraid there isn’t any point in eliminating them now.”</p><p>“We could always do subtle things?” Riptooth – the goblin guard who had been entrusted to follow them while Harry was brought into deeper Gringotts territory – piped up. “Things like bad days, tripping while walking, eating spoiled food once a week, etc.”</p><p>Harry blinked.</p><p>“You can do that?” she asked, surprised.</p><p>“Sure,” Griphook replied. “We’re capable of illusions, as you know from how we’ve helped your Muggleborn friend. So, getting near enough to jinx the muggles without getting caught is easy.”</p><p>“You people deserve <em>way</em> <em>better</em> than the wizarding world,” Harry replied honestly upset that the goblins’ talents and skills are not common knowledge or freely allowed to be shared due to wizards’ bigotry.</p><p>The goblins blinked in surprise at her and all three of them turned a bit pink. Harry missed it all due to how invested she had become in grumbling about the stupidity of the wizards and witches.</p><hr/><p>“Harry! <em>Harriet</em>!”</p><p>Harry stilled turning around to find twin sets of redheads calling after her. She tensed.</p><p>Dammit it all. No one from the light or dark was supposed to spot her! Especially not in Knockturn Alley! She thanked her lucky stars at least no one was around her for the moment to hear the twins call her name.</p><p><em>“How the hell are they so sure it’s me anyways?”</em> she grumbled internally. <em>“I’m bloody wearing a hooded cloak!</em></p><p>She sped up her walk, wanting to leave the twins behind. What they were doing in Knockturn Alley, she didn’t want to know. Probably scouring for some illegal potion ingredients for their latest tricks.</p><p>She cursed when a hand grabbed her and she was promptly dragged into shrouded alleyway, hood forcefully pulled off.</p><p>“What do you want?” she snarled at the two who caged her against the wall when she felt a privacy charm being placed around them.</p><p>“Talk!” Fred retorted back from her left, voice firm. “We want to talk to our friend.”</p><p>She rolled her eyes.</p><p>“Oh, friends are we now?” she snapped back. “Where were you lot when you dear parents came to break the news of shipping me off to Malfoy?”</p><p>The twins grimaced.</p><p>“We weren’t let in on the decision, Harry,” George told her from the right. “Do you honestly think we want you to marry <em>Malfoy junior</em> of all people?”</p><p>Harry scoffed.</p><p>“Oh, I don’t know. Your parents seemed pretty okay with the idea. Funny because I always thought Weasleys hated Malfoys.”</p><p>“Harry, we don’t support it!” Fred insisted. “We never did!”</p><p>“Funny, I never heard you lot letting me know of this silent support,” she drawled.</p><p>“We’ve been sending you letters all summer!” George replied earnestly. “When you didn’t reply, we even tried to visit you at your relatives!”</p><p>“There are new bloody wards there, do you realise?” Fred scowled. “Threw us off metres away when we tried to approach No. 4 Private Drive.”</p><p>Fred rubbed his left hand to soothe a phantom pain.</p><p>“Broke a lot of our bones it did, the blasted things,” he grumbled.</p><p>Harry blinked shocked. She was certain the twins weren’t lying.</p><p>“That’s why no one wrote this summer,” she muttered. “The letters weren’t going through.”</p><p>“Damn right they weren’t! You didn’t honestly think we all abandoned you did you Harriet?” George asked seriously.</p><p>Harry gave a bitter smile.</p><p>“It wasn’t that hard after your parents themselves did it,” she muttered back softly.</p><p>The twins, with how close they were, heard it all the same. Their eyes softened.</p><p>“We’re sorry about them, Harry,” Fred whispered. “What they did to you wasn’t right.”</p><p>“Oh, I don’t know,” Harry mumbled. “Wanting to protect her youngest children at least from the law doesn’t seem wrong from a mother’s perspective.”</p><p>And it wasn’t. What Molly Weasley did, accepting to stay quiet in Dumbledore’s decision for Harry’s future, in return for protection for her youngest two from the Marriage Law, was not unexpected from a mother as devoted as her.</p><p>So why did her action cut something deep in Harry’s chest so much?</p><p>“You are part of the family,” George replied back sternly, diverting Harry’s attention back to their conversation. “She shouldn’t have done that to you!”</p><p>“I am not your blood,” Harry replied calmly, the pain in her chest anchoring her emotions.</p><p>It would not do for her to lose emotions in this place.</p><p>“You don’t need to be blood to be family, Harry,” Fred replied softly, voice tinged with sadness.</p><p>“But it obviously matters which part of the family you choose when there is blood involved,” she replied back evenly.</p><p>“Harry –”</p><p>“Don’t bother,” she cut in sharply. “I’m not in the mood for debates. Why have you dragged me over?”</p><p>“We’ve been sending you letters,” George repeated.</p><p>“None of which I received. We’ve established this already Weasley,” she retorted coldly. “Get to your point now.”</p><p>Fred and George reeled back slightly at her hostile demeanour, shocked. But they did reply.</p><p>“We wanted to help,” George started. “We know despite what the adults were spewing that you won’t ever be happy with being forced to married Malfoy.”</p><p>“Glad to know some people have some sense,” she drawled.</p><p>The twins’ lips twitched up ever so slightly despite her icy tone.</p><p>“We wanted to offer to take Malfoy’s place if you want us to,” Fred told her seriously.</p><p>Harry stilled.</p><p>“You shouldn’t be forced –”</p><p>“So that’s what you want to <em>offer</em>?” she snarled pushing them both back violently.</p><p>Caught by surprise, both of the twins stumbled back.</p><p>“Harry –”</p><p>“A chance to warm your beds instead of Malfoy's?” she snapped, emerald eyes flashing dangerously.</p><p>Her magic swirled around her, angry.</p><p>“Do I look like a <em>whore?</em> To be passed on from one person to another like that?” she snarled. “First that stupid Ministry, then Dumbledore and your parents, along with that traitorous wolf! And now you too? You want me to wear a white gown, walk down the aisle and later carry your babies like my <em>sole</em> <em>bloody</em> <em>purpose</em> is to produce babies?” she snarled.</p><p>“That’s not what we –”</p><p>“I don’t want to hear it anymore! I’m not allowing any bloody person to cage me any longer!” she snapped. “This bloody world ruined my childhood, took my youth and now it wants the rest of my life too?”</p><p>Harry growled.</p><p>“Not happening!”</p><p>“Harriet –”</p><p>“Just shut up!” Harry shouted at the two.</p><p>The twins quietened down reluctantly, eyes pained and shrouded in sadness.</p><p>“You offered, didn’t you?” she asked them. “Well here’s my answer: No!”</p><p>“Harry don’t trap yourself with Malfoy in your anger –”</p><p>Harry fisted Fred’s robe collar with a snarl, silencing him as she pulled him roughly forward.</p><p>“Trap? You think I’ll willingly let myself get trapped by that albino ferret?” she asked icily. “Not bloody likely Fred Weasley.”</p><p>She pushed the redhead away, watching stonily as his twin caught him before he could fall.</p><p>“He’s not going to stay happily married with <em>me</em> for more than five seconds, if I can help it,” she told the twins who were watching her with concern in their eyes. “And if I can’t help it at all in the end well –”</p><p>Harry fished out a chain hidden under her robe collar. A small crystal vial was attached to it. Inside it, a sickly green liquid swirled about.</p><p>The twins paled at the sight of it. Harry smirked.</p><p>“Recognised it, have you?” she asked, twirling the vial in her hands carefully. “Rather potent this one is. One drop is more than enough to kill a baby giant. I have a whole spoonful in this.”</p><p>Harry’s eyes gleamed, a maniacal glint shining in them.</p><p>“If I can’t help it at all, I assure you Fred and George Weasley, I won’t be there to find out how being trapped with that ferret will be like. I’ll long be on my way to meet my parents. And nobody will bloody stop me!”</p><p>“Harry –”</p><p>“Meet you at the wedding Messrs Weasleyes,” she told them frostily. “Or perhaps you’ll visit my funeral instead. Who knows?”</p><p>Harry called forth her wand and slashed it violently downwards, vanishing the privacy charm around them.</p><p>“Harriet –”</p><p>Harry didn’t bother listening. She shot a secrecy spell each at both twin.</p><p>“That is for neither of you to blabber about this conversation or the fact that you’ve met me here,” she snarled. “Don’t bother finding a way around it. I’m not above destroying anyone in my way now.”</p><p>With a parting glare, she twisted the Head of House ring on her finger and vanished away, leaving the Weasley twins alone in the alleyway.</p><p>“She’s <em>hurting</em> Freddie,” George whispered brokenly into the silence surrounding them.</p><p>Fred drew his brother into a comforting hug.</p><p>“And it’s all because of the stupid adults trying to interfere in her life again!”</p><p>“I know,” Fred replied grimly.</p><p>George pulled away from his twin after a while.</p><p>“We’re not going to leave her hurting, are we?” he asked seriously.</p><p>“Of course not,” Fred replied with an indignant look.</p><p>“Good,” George replied. “Then let’s get moving. We’ve got schemes to plan.”</p><hr/><p>
  <strong> <span class="u">10<sup>th</sup> July</span> </strong>
</p><p>“That conniving <em>bastard</em>!” Sirius snarled.</p><p>The man conjured his fortieth teacup and shattered it, leaving it to pile up with the other broken ones.</p><p>“Son of a <em>bitch</em>!” Sirius cursed.</p><p>He conjured another teacup. Then shattered it.</p><p>“I’m going to cut off his dick and feed it to a goat,” Sirius scowled.</p><p>Harry watched as another teacup was conjured to join its violently broken kin, hiding a smirk behind her hand.</p><p>Sirius had been woken up two hours ago and brought up to date with what’s going on. Her godfather was not fully healed but the goblins had manged to charm an amulet to help him organise his messed-up thoughts and emotions due to Azkaban’s influence. Give or take five years, they were confident Sirius would have sorted his brain out and could remove the amulet to function like a sane human being without its aid.</p><p>“Though there may be some insanity always clinging to him,” Redreef had muttered initially.</p><p>Harry had shrugged at that. She didn’t mind as long as Sirius wasn’t completely cuckoo.</p><p>Plus, she was just glad that her godfather was actually on her side, without compulsions influencing him. Sirius had spent the first hour since waking up grovelling at her feet, much to her amusement and – alright she’ll admit it – approval. She had forgiven him the moment she realised Sirius hadn’t betrayed her trust out of his own free will. But it was nice to have the man apologise. She still remembered his face breaking the news of his approval to marry her off to Malfoy without her input.</p><p>“<em>Evil, manipulative goat</em>!”</p><p>Harry watched as cup number seventy-two joined its ancestors in all its broken glory. Sirius had started to charm them all to plead for mercy in voices that sounded eerily similar to one Albus Dumbledore’s.</p><p>“I’m going to tie him up and leave him near a pack of wolves during the next full moon, that bastard!”</p><p>Harry smirked.</p><p>“He’s your godfather alright,” Griphook muttered from beside her. “He’s already given us twenty excellent ideas to either mutilate or murder someone in the span of ten minutes.”</p><p>“I suppose this is where I get my crazy from,” Harry replied back with a serene smile.</p><p>If she felt Griphook shudder slightly, Harry didn’t comment.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>maybe i should take a break and do some homework instead</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I'm so sorry for the delay. But sch is taxing. It's taken me so long just to write and upload this chapter. And I have yet to update my other fics.<br/>Gyyaaaaaa<br/>Anyways, thanks for all the comments adn support despite knowing I am just wining this story!! I really appreciate it! Sorry that i haven't been able to reply to them. i'm honestly very busy!! Thanks for sticking ard you guys!! Stay safe!!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Harry scowled.</p><p>"Please pup, I'm certain!"</p><p>"And if you're wrong?" she asked.</p><p>"I'll kill him for betraying us both," Sirius replied, face grim.</p><p>Harry stared at Sirius for a few minutes before nodding.</p><p>"Fine. Go and bring Lupin over."</p>
<hr/><p>Harry snarled in frustration as she watched the unconscious form of one Remus Lupin who was getting various compulsions off of him.</p><p>"That's it! I'm certain he's scheming something, that goat!" Harry told Griphook.</p><p>"I believe you," Griphook replied. "The man obviously wishes you to get married to the Malfoy heir."</p><p>"The question is <em>why</em>?" Sirius muttered out loud.</p><p>Harry bit her lip, confused.</p><p>"We'll find it out," Griphook told her, spotting her worried look.</p>
<hr/><p>"What is this?" Harry asked, taking the letter Griphook silently handed over with a frown.</p><p>"From Messrs Weasleys."</p><p>She stilled. Thee twins? She had rather thought they wouldn't want anything to do with her by now. She had been very cold. And rather mean.</p><p>It had taken her a full three hours of completely destroying her bedroom in Sirius' old hideaway apartment before she had managed to cool down enough to think about what the twins had actually been trying to do.</p><p>Which was help her in the only way they knew how under such a stupid law.</p><p>Sirius had talked with her afterwards and pointed out reasonably that the twins had given her the best way out, if she thought about it. They would sign any contract with her without hesitation, being good, loyal friends. She knew that. She could be married to them in name and never expected to do anything against her will, despite the law's existence. Merlin knows most of the remaining purebloods used that same scheme to escape the law.</p><p>Plus, being magical twins, Fred and George were both allowed to marry the same person so long as they themselves didn't take part in incestuous behaviour. Which meant Harry would have double the protection if she married the twins. Even if Dumbledore did some scheme, he would have to get rid of both the twins – a hard thing to do because the twins have earnt to survive a war <em>and </em>their ever-hazardous joke shop. It was going to take a lot to skilfully take those two out. If she was not honestly so hell bent for revenge, she would have snapped up their offer quickly, taking the opportunity to regain her freedom through them.</p><p>Harry sighed.</p><p>"I shouldn't think like this," she thought sullenly.</p><p>It was honestly not nice. She knew more than anyone what it felt like to be used as a means to an end. A tool. The twins didn't deserve her callous side. Not when they still were good friends to her. Good friends that she very much brushed aside and lashed out her anger on.</p><p>She stared at the letter in her hands with a grim expression.</p><p>It was testament to the twins' loyalty and stubbornness that they were still trying to get into contact with her. This was certainly not the first time they had tried to contact her after the Knockturn Alley incident. They had ceaselessly sent her letter after letter since she took down the mail wards around her. She had never opened any one of them. In fact, she had burnt the first few and sent the ashes back to the twins, uncaring of how that would hurt their feelings. Yet, they had persisted. To the point that Harry had applied her own mails wards around herself. Against the twins' contact.</p><p>Yet here she was. Holding <em>another</em> letter that the two redheads had once again managed to send her way.</p><p>Those two certainly never let anything stop them.</p><p>The plain envelope crinkled slightly as she ran a finger up and down its spine.</p><p>She wasn't honestly proud of how she had treated the twins that day they ran into her in Knockturn Alley. Not at all.</p><p>Still, deep down, Harry was certain she wouldn't try to take back what she did and said that day. As much as a part of her still loathed it, this was her now. A girl who was no longer patient, trusting or kind. She had burned too many times.</p><p>And she'd rather stay this burnt version than ever revert back to the person that she had been previously. A person who simply took what was dealt to them without fighting back.</p><p>No. She was tired of dishing out justice for other but never getting her own. She was tired of being the heroine. Heroes and heroines were never allowed to do what was right for themselves. And she wanted happiness.</p><p>"Are you ever going to open it, witch?"</p><p>Harriet looked up at Griphook's expectant face.</p><p>"I don't particularly care for what they have to say," she replied honestly.</p><p>"Well, I think you should open it either ways."</p><p>She narrowed her eyes.</p><p>"You know what they have to say."</p><p>Griphook nodded.</p><p>"What is it?"</p><p>"They wish to court you," Griphook replied bluntly.</p><p>Harry stilled.</p><p>"Messrs Weasleys are hell bent, from what we have observed, to prove to you that they don't view you as only a prize to be passed around. They have decided to prove this point by going about the old courting ways –"</p><p>Harry tensed more.</p><p>" – With a twist," Griphook finished.</p><p>She raised an eyebrow.</p><p>"The twist is that they have drawn a binding contract, that essentially leaves <em>them</em> at your mercy for the whole process and also very much frees you from playing to the expectations of the accursed marriage law."</p><p>Harry blinked, surprised.</p><p>"Yes. A genius contract indeed. My nation has looked through it. It is very well drafted. We had little to change and what we have changed only makes you more advantageous."</p><p>Harry didn't reply. Instead, she opened the envelope she held and tipped its content out. Two things tumbled on her lap. Ignoring the letter that held the twins' messy handwriting, she reached out for the thick contract that had fell out second, skimming through its clauses and conditions quickly.</p><p>"They are as good as slaves to me if I sign this," she muttered aloud in disgust.</p><p>Griphook nodded.</p><p>"That would be our doing," Griphook confessed. "That was the only thing my nation had changed about the whole contract, truthfully. Made your power in this whole matter absolute."</p><p>Harry stared at Griphook in incredulity before looking down at the signatures at the bottom of the contract again in shock.</p><p>"And those idiots still signed this? Are they aware of these changes?"</p><p>"Yes. They were aware. They didn't even hesitate."</p><p>Harry frowned, ignoring the way something in her chest squeezed at Griphook's revelation.</p><p>"This is ridiculous, Griphook," she told her account manager in a terse whisper.</p><p>"I'm aware."</p><p>"Then <em>why</em>?" Harry asked exasperated. "Why the bloody hell did you do this and why did they sign it?"</p><p>"To prove a point. And I think you know exactly what the point is."</p><p>Harry clenched her teeth.</p><p>Yes. She did know.</p><p>And she hated it.</p><p><em>We trust you to take care of us</em>, the twins were telling her. <em>And we want you to trust us to do the same for you,</em> they were pleading with all their actions.</p><p>The contract in her hands burst into flames.</p><p>"Stubborn fools," she muttered sullenly into the silence in the room. Her eyes started to bore a hole into the letter on the lap now that the contract had been destroyed, refusing to make eye contact with the goblin seated across her.</p><p>Harry knew the being was grinning without even looking.</p><p>"So," came Griphook's voice. "Shall I arrange a meeting with those twins while you read the letter?"</p><p>"I'm not going to read it," Harry replied back tersely.</p><p>"You need to learn to lie better, witch," Griphook replied blandly.</p><p>Harriet sighed.</p>
<hr/><p>When her seventeenth birthday dawned, Harriet wasn't surprised to find a Ministry owl stating that she was bound under law to marry a wizard soon and birth an heir within two years of the marriage flying to her.</p><p>She was even less surprised when an owl followed that bloody letter an hour later, from Dumbledore, stating that he could arrange for her to speak with Draco and his mother if she wished to discuss wedding preparations and date.</p><p>Harry scowled at the letter.</p><p>"How nice of him to let me <em>choose </em>the wedding date with restrictions," she muttered as she read the line "suggesting" for her to be married before end of August so that she wouldn't have to worry about it during her last year of education at Hogwarts.</p><p>Sirius snorted.</p><p>"Are you going to go?"</p><p>Harry shook her head.</p><p>"No. Griphook has already called the Malfoys to discuss contract terms for the marriage. I don't care where they have the wedding so long as it isn't the Malfoys' place or the Burrow."</p><p>Harry frowned.</p><p>"You know what, I think the Ministry will be the best place. I'll owl Griphook to mention that as the location for whatever <em>mother-in-law </em>," Harry spat, "wishes to plan."</p>
<hr/><p>Harriet hid a smile as she bumped into one Rita Skeeter.</p><p>"Oh, sorry I didn't see –" she cut off her sentence as she lifted her head, pretending as though she had just noticed who she had knocked into.</p><p>"Ms Skeeter! Hello!" she greeted pleasantly.</p><p>"Miss Potter! How lucky of me to bump into you!"</p><p>Harry smirked internally while giving an embarrassed smile outwardly.</p><p><em>"Oh no, Rita. It's my luck to bump into you,"</em> she thought viciously.</p><p>"It is rather surprising to see you around in the Wizarding World, Miss Potter," Skeeter continued pleasantly. "What brings you here today?"</p><p>Harry snorted mentally at the not-so-subtle inquiry. She was distracted however by the light burning sensation that was spreading near her abdomen.</p><p>It was near time.</p><p>"Oh, I decided to do some shopping, Ms Skeeter. I was invited for breakfast today at –" she pretended to hesitate. "– at the Malfoys', you see."</p><p>She almost laughed at how Skeeter's eyes brightened.</p><p>"I thought I might as well get some shopping done since I had travelled into the Wizarding world today."</p><p>"Pardon my probing Miss Potter, but I was unaware that you and the Malfoys' were close."</p><p>Harry shrugged.</p><p>"Well, we are not. But I suppose since I'm going to be married to Draco Malfoy, I have to get to know him and his mother better."</p><p>The shock was genuine in Skeeter's eyes.</p><p>"M- Marriage?"</p><p>Harry gave sad smile, tinged with a bit of pain. The burn – which was no longer mild – in her stomach helped her acting.</p><p>"Oh, I suppose you haven't heard it yet, since the invitations haven't been given out. I'm marrying soon. It's a result of the new law."</p><p>Harry didn't miss the way Skeeter's eyes travelled over her bare left ring finger.</p><p>"There is no engagement ring, Miss Skeeter," Harry told her blandly. "This isn't a conventional marriage, you know?"</p><p>Harry twiddled her thumbs slightly, pretending to be lost in her thought.</p><p>"Not even a mutually agreed marriage if I were to be honest," she mumbled despondently under her breath, acting as to forget Skeeter's presence.</p><p>But she knew from the way Skeeter tensed that she heard her words with how close the woman was to her.</p><p>Harry blinked, pretending to jolt out of her thoughts.</p><p>"Oh right sorry I – I had a lapse," she told Skeeter, giving the blonde woman an awkward smile as she met her eyes again.</p><p>The woman's expression was unreadable but Harry didn't miss the brief pity that flashed across Skeeter's eyes before her face had gone neutral. Licking her lips in a show of nervousness, Harry resumed the twiddling of her thumbs.</p><p>"Right, I should return back to my shopping, Ms Skeeter," Harry told the woman with an obvious fake smile. "Have a lot of things to buy for the wedding after all. Sorry for bumping into you by the way. See you around – "</p><p>Harry blinked as her vision wavered slightly when she moved away from the silent reporter. A pounding was starting to fill her head. She brought her hand to rub her temples.</p><p>"Are you alright, Miss Potter?"</p><p>Skeeter's voice seemed far away.</p><p>"Oh yes," Harry replied with a pained smile, looking back to the older woman. "Just feeling a bit out of sorts. I suppose I'm a little tired."</p><p>Harry staggered a little, grinning inwardly as she felt Skeeter reach out to catch her out of instinct.</p><p>"You're very pale, Miss Potter."</p><p>Skeeter's voice was tinged with concern and her hands were gentle as they steadied Harry. Harry almost laughed at that. Never had she thought she would make the gossip-seeking, vicious woman care for her well-being, even for a moment.</p><p>Her vision wavered again and Harry forgot what was funny about her situation.</p><p>"St- stomach hurts," she told the reporter with a groan as the pain in her abdomen became unbearable.</p><p>A cough bubbled out of her and she saw something red spill out of her mouth.</p><p>"Mis Potter!" Skeeter's voice called out with a touch of hysteria.</p><p>Harriet's vision went black.</p>
<hr/><p>Waking up to see two sets of identical faces was not what Harriet expected.</p><p>She frowned, taking in the sight of the twins who were seated near her bed, sleeping on their chairs. The position did not look comfortable and the grim expression on their faces were even worse to look at. Solemness was not a good look on the twins. It made everything seem wrong somehow. She was too used to see those two redheads be happy and carefree.</p><p>Looking away from the twins, Harriet spotted a glass of water that was placed on the stand near her bed. She swallowed, feeling how dry her throat was. The glass of water seemed very appealing all of a sudden. Gingerly, she tried to sit up from her position on the bed and abruptly regretted her actions. Her vision wavered dangerously and her muscles protested vehemently.</p><p>Right. She had just recovered from poisoning. Her body was weak.</p><p>Harriet smacked herself internally for forgetting <em>that</em>. She glared at the glass of water that remained motionless nearby her. Damn it, she was feeling really parched.</p><p>With a sigh, she slumped into her bed dejectedly. She supposed she would just have to wait for –</p><p>A hand holding a glass of water crossed her vision.</p><p>Harry blinked and looked up to find a bleary looking Fred standing over her. Beside him, George was rubbing away the sleep in his eyes.</p><p>"Drink," Fred told her softly. "You've been out of it for three days."</p><p>She looked away from the twins with a slight guilt. She had no doubt those two had already put together her plan. They knew what path she was remorselessly going down.</p><p>The glass was pressed to her lips and a gentle and held her face as she was guided to drink the offered water. She sighed through her nose as the first few sips soothed her dry throat. Then, she started gulping the water, her the thirst overwhelming her.</p><p>Fred took away the glass after a few beats, ignoring her whine.</p><p>"Slowly Harry. You need to breathe."</p><p>Harry scowled but followed the advice. When Fred gave her the water again, she was took measured sips instead of gulping it all down.</p><p>When the water was all gone, she slumped back onto her bed, continuing to avoid the twins' eyes.</p><p>"We won't talk about this, so you can stop avoiding our gaze," George's voice carried across the silent room.</p><p>Harry stilled before looking up to meet the twins' brown orbs.</p><p>"Why – ," Harry cleared her throat as her voice came out in a hoarse whisper. "Why are you two even here?"</p><p>She winced internally at the pain that flashed through Fred and George's eyes. She hadn't meant to be cold.</p><p><em>"I'm terrible at this,"</em> she thought.</p><p>"We care for you silly Harry," George replied back with a sigh. "How long will it take for you to get that through your skull?"</p><p>Harry averted her eyes again.</p><p>"And I keep telling you, I've changed. The girl you two confessed to have a crush on since fourth year is gone."</p><p>The feel of her mattress dipping down had her looking up to stare at Fred's serious face.</p><p>"And we told you. We are aware of that. And we don't care. We still like you. Genuinely."</p><p>Harry stared at Fred silently for a while.</p><p>"I don't think you do," she replied eventually. She cut in before Fred could protest, changing the topic without subtlety. "Where is Sirius? Or Griphook for the matter?"</p><p>Fred sighed, sharing a look with an equally despondent George before replying to her, letting their previous conversation topic slide.</p><p>"Dumbledore came to check on you again an hour ago. I suppose they are still keeping him away."</p><p>Fred's lips quirked upwards ever so slightly.</p><p>"They've made it a game, those two. Trying to see how long they can annoy the old man before he gives up and leaves."</p><p>Harry smiled softly at that.</p><p>"Go back to sleep Harry," George told her gently. "You still look very tired. We'll tell the healers you woke up. They can still check on while you are sleeping. And we'll make sure Sirius is here when you wake again."</p><p>Harry didn't protest against George's words. With a sigh, she closed her eyes, sleep claiming her without much fanfare. She was very tired like George had observed.</p>
<hr/><p>"Dumbledore suspects you did this on purpose."</p><p>Harry shrugged, uncaring.</p><p>It had been four days since she had awoken. While she was not fond of bedrest, it was fun watching Sirius and Griphook constantly thwart Dumbledore's attempts to visit her. The man was obviously not happy. Harry's plan had worked very well that Skeeter had written a whole article on the news of her marriage to Malfoy junior in the worst possible way – for the Malfoys of course. The fact that she had coughed up blood and fainted in front of the woman had helped. Skeeter, for all she was a gossiper, was genuinely convinced that Harry was poisoned during her breakfast session with the Malfoys. Funnily enough, the woman had developed some righteous fury on Harriet's behalf for the matter, so she had gone and had done what she did best in Harry's favour. Took a news she heard and make it seem ten times worse than it was. It was even better that the woman had not stopped at only tearing down the Malfoys. But she had gone a step further and blatantly called out the Ministry for placing such a stupid law in the first place, expertly highlighting the injustice it had for the nation's youth.</p><p>Never had Harriet thought she'd feel respect for Rita Skeeter, suffice to say. She was very impressed by the woman's guts. Plus, Harry was grateful for the way the reporter had swayed the public's sympathies to her even more.</p><p>Ever since she had defeated Voldemort, she had been generally worshipped as the 'Woman-Who-Conquered' – something that still made her cringe. (Honestly, she wasn't even of age when that had happened.) And with the revelations of her arranged marriage to Draco Malfoy, coupled with the assumed fact of the Malfoys poisoning her, people were very much out for blood for her sake. It was rather funny honestly. She had not expected this level of devotion.</p><p>And she certainly had not expected to receive so many letters of concern and support either.</p><p><em>"To think all it took was one little lie and a few drops of mild poison,"</em> she thought with a chuckle as she opened another 'Get well soon' card full of sympathies for her.</p><p>Honestly.</p><p>"He can't do anything even if he confirms I did this on purpose," she replied eventually to Sirius, a smirk on her lips as she met her godfather's eyes. "I'll just that Skeeter fabricates things like she always does. Besides, it's going to be my word against his from now on, if these letters of support are any indication."</p><p>Sirius chuckled.</p><p>"True."</p><p>Harry leaned back onto her bed, letting her eyes stray to the clock hanging on the wall across.</p><p>"What time are the twins' visiting today?" she asked Sirius casually.</p><p>"Six in the e," Sirius replied with a smirk. "Why? You miss them?"</p><p>Harry rolled her eyes. Sirius had officially joined the 'Ship-Harriet-with-the Weasley-Twins' club. From what she found out, it was founded by Griphook (of all people) and pretty much had most of the goblins Harry knew as members, which meant most of the Goblin Nation was involved. Remus had also joined the club since he woke up and was brought up to date. He had gone further than Sirius in his fury and enchanted mini dolls that resembled Albus Dumbledore before brutally killing them. But he too had eventually been coerced into the stupid club membership.</p><p>Harriet genuinely had no idea where the lot of them got the absurd idea that she would entertain the twins' courtship. A courtship the two had not rescinded despite her rejecting them non-stop. She also could not figure out how the twins had gained such popularity amongst <em>her</em> allies.</p><p>Seriously. It had been annoying to see them waltzing into her private rooms in Gringotts before the poisoning scheme. Apparently when the Goblin Nation ships you, you don't get privacy from the people you are being romantically paired with. She had almost hexed the twins' to the next year and back when they had almost walked in on her while she was changing.</p><p>"If you continue that vein of topic, Sirius Black, you'll find yourself without certain manly bits for the rest of your life," Harry told Sirius calmly, flippantly flipping through a three-paged letter from one of her very devoted well-wishers.</p><p>She smirked when she heard Sirius gulp.</p><p>Setting aside the letter in her hands, Harry spared another glance to the clock hanging across the room. If the twins were only coming over at six, then they would naturally miss the drama that was set to go off during three in the afternoon.</p><p>Which was splendid. Because Harry certainly did not want to rack her brain to try and find a way to distract the Weasley twins of all people. She had learnt from experience that those two just cottoned quickly to the fact that she was trying to keep them out of something. Harry blamed it on the fact that there were two of them. You just couldn't fool both together. One of the two would catch the deception going on.</p><p>"Call the nurse would you, Sirius?" Harry requested. "I need something done."</p>
<hr/><p>"What is it Harriet? Are you feeling any pain?"</p><p>Harry smiled up at Sofie Winters. The woman was the nurse appointed to her and she was honestly one of the sweetest souls Harry had met, if she looked past the sheer devotion the blonde had for Harry's 'Saviour' status. Although Harry had to admit, Sofie was professional enough that she had ever lapsed into her fangirl mode other than the first time she had seen Harry awake on her hospital bed.</p><p>"No. I was just hoping you'd let me get discharged?" she asked the nurse with pleading eyes.</p><p>Sofia rolled her eyes fondly, used to Harry asking the same question over and over again. Harry had to give the woman credit for not even getting annoyed by now. Most others would have gotten impatient with her.</p><p>"Come now, Harriet. You are still rather weak." Sofie's face soured as the blonde remembered exactly how Harry had (supposedly) been poisoned. "Though you have recovered quickly from the poison, we will need to keep you on observation just in case for a couple more days as you regain the rest of your strength."</p><p>Harry deflated.</p><p>"Come now," Sofie cajoled. "The ward isn't so bad is it?"</p><p>Harry bit her lip.</p><p>"It's lonely. At least move me into the general ward, please? Surely you cannot afford to keep me in the emergency one still, Sofie. I'm sure there are others who need this space more."</p><p>Sofie's eyes softened.</p><p>"The emergency wards have the highest security, Harriet. And you are a very important person to us–"</p><p>Harry shook her head.</p><p>"I don't want special treatment. Especially not in a hospital. I'm sure the general ward will do fine. Besides, I could use to see some more faces if I'm to be stuck here for a few more days."</p><p>Harry gave her best puppy dog eyes to the nurse, ignoring Sirius who snorted at her manipulations.</p><p>"Please? Sofie, come on. The general ward will be fine! You said it yourself, I'm mostly in the clear now."</p><p>Sofie sighed.</p><p>"Alright fine."</p><p>Harry brightened.</p><p>"But you'll have to wait for a couple of hours. If you're moving to the general ward, we're reinforcing the security there more."</p><p>"Surely there is no –"</p><p>"You're here because someone tried to kill you Harriet," Sofie cut in firmly. "There is very much a need for all that."</p><p>"She's right pup," Sirius spoke up for the first time since Sofie came over to the room.</p><p>Harry sighed.</p><p>"Fine, fine," she grumbled in acceptance.</p><p>Sofie smiled.</p><p>"Alright I'll make the arrangements."</p><p>Harry watched as the nurse left the room, leaving her alone with Sirius again.</p><p>"Alright, what are you scheming now, pup?" Sirius cut to the chase as soon as the door closed behind Sofie and he had erected a privacy ward.</p><p>"I've been informed that the Malfoys – or at least Draco Malfoy – is planning on paying me a visit this afternoon," Harry replied back serenely. "I thought it would be good to have some witnesses for the show."</p><p>Sirius frowned.</p><p>"Why didn't you tell me about it beforehand?"</p><p>Harry gave the man a deadpan look.</p><p>"Paddy, you won't have kept your mouth shut about it," she told the man bluntly.</p><p>"No I wouldn't," Sirius argued.</p><p>"Do I need to remind you that you blabbered to Lupin about the fact that I was going to drink poison willingly to trap Malfoy and his mother?" Harry asked coldly.</p><p>Sirius averted his eyes.</p><p>"He loves you like his own, pup. Give the man a chance.," Sirius muttered quietly.</p><p>Harry didn't reply. She knew that Remus cared for her. But unlike with Sirius, she couldn't bring herself to forgive the man as easily. Sure, the man's subservience in the marriage law matter could be explained away by Dumbledore's compulsions. But she had started to question on his absence in her life when she had been younger. And she didn't like that he hadn't bothered to pluck up the courage to look for her then, the excuses of Dumbledore thwarting him and his own insecurities as a werewolf being flimsy in her eyes.</p><p>His hesitance had thrown away opportunities to better her childhood. Thrown away chances for her to somehow have gotten a abuse-free life if only for a few years. She would not even have minded if the man had come when she was eleven years old at least, when she finally was reintroduced into the wizarding world. That in itself would have changed her life much more. To have an adult who would care for her and be there for her without anything restricting him (save for say the full moon that came every once a month).</p><p>But Remus hadn't done that. And Harry, now that she was no longer stopping herself from digging up her complains and bitterness, was not in the mood to be kind and forgiving.</p><p>Remus deserved the cold treatment from her end, in her opinion. He should honestly be grateful she was stopping her show on her resentment at just giving the cold shoulder. He and she both knew she was capable of making his life way more difficult if she wanted to.</p><p>"You blabber Black," Harry replied to Sirius with a flat voice, outrightly ignoring Sirius' last comment. If she saw Sirius sag at her calling him by his last name, she didn't bat an eye. "And I for one don't really want Fred or George to know about Malfoy's visit until it is over and done with. Understood?"</p><p>Sirius nodded.</p><p>"Good."</p><p>Harry leaned back onto the pillows prepped behind her, gut churning with slight guilt. She stamped the emotion down though. It was Sirius' own fault for bringing up the useless argument that they had gone over plenty of times.</p><p>She would resolve her conflict with Remus at her own time. Sirius could keep his opinions to himself.</p>
<hr/><p>If Harry thought her bait with Rita Skeeter had gone well, the bait she had laid out for Malfoy went out even more spectacularly.</p><p>Draco had come alone, without his mother, which had heightened her scheme's success by a good seventy percent since she knew exactly how easily the blonde ferret could be agitated without people around him to control or warn him. The fact that Draco had raised a privacy ward around her and him during their conversation only made the whole thing more favourable for her. Words masked under the safety of the privacy wards and only appearance being in clear view of the other patients of the general ward, it had been too easy to taunt Draco into falling the rest of the way into the hole she'd dug out for him.</p><p>"What do you think you're doing, Potter, going around spreading false rumours about me and my mum?" Malfoy asked, voice icy despite his neutral expression.</p><p>Harriet stared calmly at the blonde, laying in a half-upright position on her hospital bed serenely.</p><p>"I don't know what you are talking about Malfoy," she replied in a quiet voice, taking care to meet his eyes and averting them almost immediately.</p><p>Malfoy took the action as confirmation for her guilt. He wasn't wrong. But Harry was not averting eyes due to being an open book unlike the blonde's conclusion.</p><p>"You're going to repeal what you said about me and Mother, Potter," Malfoy ordered coldly.</p><p>"I won't Malfoy. Because I haven't said anything against you and your mother," Harry replied evenly, voice strong. But she slumped herself back onto her bed ever so slightly, hunching her shoulders subtly in the perfect show of distress. "Besides, you shouldn't have tried to poison me, <em>ferret</em>."</p><p>Harry let her hair fall forwards to frame her face, hiding the small, defiant smile that she wanted to show Malfoy from the rest of the patients and nurses sticking around the general ward. Her smile turned to a smirk when she saw the Malfoy heir clench his jaw.</p><p>"You and I both know that's a lie, Potter," Malfoy hissed.</p><p>Harry had to applaud at how the wizard had yet to let his neutral mask slip. Malfoy certainly had better control over his emotions now than before, she'll give it to him.</p><p><em>"But that won't help you at all, ferret dearest," </em>she thought viciously. <em>"You lost the game the moment you came to visit me when you knew it wasn't the best move."</em></p><p>"As far as the people know Malfoy," Harry replied, curling further into herself casually, "That isn't a lie but a fact. You, my future husband, known Death Eater's son, tried to poison me."</p><p>Harry tilted her head slightly, smiling pleasantly through the curtain of her hair.</p><p>"Bad move, Draco darling. You shouldn't have done that."</p><p>Harry rather enjoyed how hard Malfoy was clenching his jaw. She wondered if he would just combust anytime soon. She certainly would like to watch that.</p><p>It would honestly make her day.</p><p>"You do realise, don't you, that no matter how desperately you do these underhanded, desperate schemes, you're still going to have to marry me, Potter?" Malfoy asked.</p><p>Harriet stilled. Malfoy's lips curled upwards in a triumphant smile, his mask slipping at what he saw was weakness.</p><p>"That's right, Harriet Potter. The marriage between you and me is still valid after this stunt of yours. You know that. I know that. The whole world knows that. You cannot use this as a way out because if you take this supposed accusation to court, you know you will lose. My mother and I haven't done anything at all to you."</p><p>Malfoy sneered.</p><p>"You made a pretty pathetic scheme, Potter. Just as expected."</p><p>Harry shot the blonde wizard a sneer of her own, face still hidden from others' view behind her hair.</p><p>"Oh, you think so poorly of me Draco darling. Do you really think I cannot escape from this marriage if I wanted to?"</p><p>"Then do it Potter. What's stopping you?" Draco taunted.</p><p>Harry didn't give a reply.</p><p>"That's what I thought."</p><p>This time, Harry hid the smile on her lips from even Malfoy.</p><p>"I won't be your wife, Malfoy. You know that."</p><p>Malfoy scoffed.</p><p>"I don't want you as my wife either, Potter. The likes of you don't even deserve to lick my shoe. Once we sign that contract, I'm going to show you exactly where you belong, Potter. Which will be down at my feet."</p><p>Harry clenched her fists, crumpling the sheets she was holding. Triumphant flashed across Malfoy's grey eyes.</p><p>"That's right, Potter. Fear it. Fear me. I'm going to make you pay for what you did to my father. Make you regret for breaking my family."</p><p>Malfoy gave a small, cruel smile.</p><p>"And here's a little insight to keep you on your toes in excitement," he called out in fake sweetness. "I'll even be inviting the Dark Lord to the party."</p><p>Harry's head shot up, eyes wide. Her hair fell back as she stared at Malfoy in confusion and growing horror. Malfoy smirked, evidently having forgotten where he was.</p><p>"Yes. You heard me right, Potter. The Dark Lord will be there to welcome you warmly as the new Malfoy Lady. Who know? Maybe he'll even take you to his bed for some fun."</p><p>Harry sneered at the blonde and dragged the sheets covering her legs higher till they reached up to her chest as Malfoy raked his body up and down her body.</p><p>"Wouldn't that be ironic? You ending up bearing his children under the marriage law? And mine too, mind. You're obligated you know, to grant me an heir. It's in the contract, Potter. Did you even bother to tell your goblin what to negotiate that day you sent him over in your stead to settle our marriage contract?"</p><p>Draco didn't wait for her reply.</p><p>"No? I didn't think so. He pretty much handed you over to us, you realise? And your fate has been sealed since the moment Dumbledore and my mother signed the thing as magical guardians."</p><p>Harry stared silently at the blonde.</p><p>"So drink more poison if you want, bitch. Scream for attention all you want," Draco sneered at her. "But you are not going to escape this."</p><p>Draco leaned in close to her, eyes boring straight into her own.</p><p>"Mark my words, Potter. You're going to pay like I promised."</p><p>With a dramatic turn, the blonde turned away from her, bringing down the wards around them with a slash of his wand.</p><p>"Get well soon sweetheart," he told her in a pleasant voice, almost fooling everyone in the room with his caring act. "I'll be waiting for you come August 29th."</p><p>He left after that. Harry curled into herself more, pulling the sheets over her head, expression one of pure distress. As soon as she had buried herself underneath the sheet however, she whispered out a spell the goblins had taught her. Her wand, buried underneath her hospital gown's long sleeve, responded to her whisper by shooting an invisible strand of magic to her cover.</p><p>Her sheet turned clear the next moment, providing a one way view to her surroundings despite her being under them. She watched as the patients around her – all mostly active for they all had almost recovered from their magical mishaps and maladies – frown and grumble. Some were scowling at their own bedsheets while others were fervently talking to their neighbours or the present nurses in whispers, brows furrowed in anger. One nurse, she spotted, had hurried out the door, obviously going to search for someone – likely Sofie. Most in the room kept sending her bed worried glances, pity written all over their faces.</p><p>Harriet took it all in with a blank face. Ever so slowly, a smile bloomed on her lips, vindictive and triumphant.</p><p><em>"Oh, you silly, silly, ferret</em>," she thought with an internal laugh. <em>"You're so stupid for a supposedly cunning Slytherin."</em></p><p>Harry's shoulders shook slightly as she valiantly repressed the giggles threatening to escape her. Her struggle worsened when the people around mistook her covered body's shaking to be silent sobs and watched her even more in concern.</p><p>With a silent sigh, Harry cancelled the spell on her sheets, not wanting to risk losing her control over her laughter as she watched the others. Satisfaction coursing through her veins, she curled into herself more under her sheet and smiled to herself. It felt great to have plans play out exactly the way she wanted.</p><p>The fact that Malfoy had given her more than she had wanted only sweetened the moment for her. She wasn't exactly thrilled to know bloody Voldemort was somehow involved in the whole thing again. But it was nice to know of a threat in advance.</p><p>And it certainly cleared her questions on why one Albus Dumbledore was intent of marrying her off to Malfoy's useless arse.</p><p>Because whenever the Dark Lord was involved, Dumbledore had depended on using her to get rid of the mess he had made.</p><p>Harriet closed her eyes. Ironically enough, she felt no fear at the prospect of facing Voldemort again. Somehow, killing him off so many times had made her realised the man was not as smart or problematic as he was portrayed to be. Whatever intelligence and skill he had had as a youngster had obviously been lost over the year. Likely due to his stupid actions of splitting his soul so many times.</p><p><em>"Well, whatever it may be, it doesn't matter anyways," </em>she thought. <em>"This time round, I'll not only finish him. I'll finish that old coot too."</em></p><p>Harry opened her eyes again, staring vacantly at her plain blue-green hospital sheet.</p><p>
  <em>"That way, I won't have any Lords hanging around to threaten me anymore."</em>
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  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Sorry if there were any errors in the language or spelling!!! <br/>Stay safe! take care!!!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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